Exploring the great YukonAn adventurous expedition down the great Yukon River, from its source in the British North-west Territory, to its mouth in the territory of Alaska . however, thattheir best examples of this art have been displayed, andso unique and intricate are they that language is inade-quate to describe them. Of wood carvings their totempoles show the cleverest workmanship and variety ofdesign. The exact significance of these totem polesremains still undetermined, and the natives themselvesseem averse to throwing much light on the fact alone would appear to indicate a
Exploring the great YukonAn adventurous expedition down the great Yukon River, from its source in the British North-west Territory, to its mouth in the territory of Alaska . however, thattheir best examples of this art have been displayed, andso unique and intricate are they that language is inade-quate to describe them. Of wood carvings their totempoles show the cleverest workmanship and variety ofdesign. The exact significance of these totem polesremains still undetermined, and the natives themselvesseem averse to throwing much light on the fact alone would appear to indicate a superstitiousorigin. Some say the totem poles represent familygenealogies, life histories, and tribal accounts, all ofwhich conjectures may be well founded. They aresimply logs of wood standing on end in front of thehouses, and facing the water. This face is covered from IN THE CIIILKAT COUNTRY 43 top to bottom, for a lieiglit of from five to thirty feet,with the most curious carvings, as shown 1(> a limitedextent on page 19. Tlie totem or tribal synilxj],which maybe a wolf, a bear, a raven, or a fisli, oftenpredominates, while rej)resentations of crouching human. PYKAMID HARBOR, CHILKAT INLET. (Chilkat Indiim Canoe in the foreground.) figures are favorite designs. The making of totem poleslias ceased among the Indians, although they carefullypreserve those that still exist. Still many of them fallinto the clutches of white men in compensation for a fewdollars, and hardly a museum of note in the coun- 44 ALONG ALASKAS GREAT RIVER. try but displays a Tlinkit totem pole or two, wliile somepossess extensive collections. The best carving is shownin the isolated poles standing in front of the houses, butfrequently the houses themselves are fantastically carvedin conspicuous places to suit the owners fancy. Some of these houses are quite respectable for savagehousemaking, the great thick puncheon planks of thefloor being often quite well polished, or at any rateneatly covered with
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Keywords: ., bookauthorschwatka, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1890
